Phil Monsour to launch new album in West End

Musician and union activist Phil Monsour will be launching a new album of union and solidarity songs on the 27th of May at Kurilpa Hall in WEST END Brisbane at 7pm

The One Song One Union album features a song dedicated to each participating union, the Maritime Union of Australia, the Electrical Trades Union, the Queensland Teachers’ Union, the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, the Queensland Nurses’ Union, United Voice and the Queensland Council of Unions.

For a year, Phil met with unionists, listening to their inspiring work and writing songs to capture their defiant spirit. The themes often overlapped: the fight for safe and fair conditions, decent wages, secure jobs and respect.

Recorded with an 8-piece band the music is bursting with energy, anger and hope.

The One Song One Union album came to life on two picket lines. The first, at the Brisbane waterfront where the shipping giant Hutchison fired half its workforce by text message in the middle of the night. The song *One More Day than Them* is inspired by the Maritime Union’s fight to reinstatement the workers. After 100 days of picketing the workers defiantly walked back through the gates!

The second picket line was at a children’s hospital – brave medical workers refused to discharge an injured refugee child back into one of Australia’s infamous offshore immigration detention prisons. On the round-the-clock picket, Phil sang Solidarity Forever, with the hundreds of workers across several unions who supported the action. *Let Them Stay* was written at this time. In a small victory, baby Asha and her family were allowed to remain in Australia, all be it, in community detention.

Event Information: Launch Party and Benefit May 27th Kurilpa Hall West End 7pm